BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Making her first career start against males and only her second in stakes company, Florida-bred Miss Vyvyanne dominated the US$149,354 Highlander Stakes (Grade 2) at Woodbine with a two-length victory after leading from the start. Miss Vyvyanne and jockey Piertro Moran took the five-furlong test on the turf against six other geldings, 4-year-olds and older.
The victory outside of Florida also earns breeders Tom McCrocklin and Gerald Martin a $5,000 Export Incentive check from the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Miss Vyvyanne broke on top from the inside post and led G T Five Hundred by a length through quarter-mile splits of :22.22 and :44.50 on the firm turf. She drew off in the stretch to finish in :56.27 with Western Whirl second and G T Five Hundred and Outlaw Kid another three-quarters of a length back in a dead heat for third. Ready to Collect, Golden Afternoon and Foxtrotanna completed the order of finish.
Miss Vyvyanne was sent the post as the 8-5 favorite and paid $5.20 to win.
Claimed at Woodbine in June of last year for $32,000 by trainer Gail Cox and Ralph R. Murray, Miss Vyvyanne is currently owned by Murray in partnership with Calstar Farm. She was fifth in her first start for the new connections in a second condition, $50,000 optional claiming on synthetic at Gulfstream on August 9, but since has won five of six races. Two starts back, she took the $75,000 Golden Beach overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park on April 11 then suffered her only loss in that span when second in an upper level, $80,000 optional claiming going five furlongs on synthetic at Woodbine on May 9.
A 6-year-old mare by Rainbow Heir, Miss Vyvyanne also produced her first career stakes victory in 25 starts. Her only other race against black-type company came when fifth in the 2024 Sweet Briar Too (Listed) versus fillies and mares going six furlongs on the Woodbine turf.
The Highlander victory improved her career mark to 12 wins in 25 starts with three seconds and a third and the US$84,540 first-place check pushed her lifetime revenues to $504,971.
Miss Vyvyanne is out of the winning Half Ours mare Caribean Beat, who has produced two foals. Miss Vyvyanne is her only winner.
This is just the fourth time a Florida-bred has won the Highlander. Previous Florida-bred winners were Solo Guy in 1981, Stutz Bearcat in 1979 and 1980 and Coup Landing in 1971.
Return to the June 27 issue of Wire to Wire
